From: susanf34@comcast.net   
      
   *NO ARCHIVE*   
      
      
      
   Title: Tabs   
   Author: Susan   
   E-mail: susanf34@comcast.net   
   Classification: vignette   
   Spoilers: season one   
   Archive: No archive without permission.   
   Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me.   
   I wish they did.   
      
   Author's notes: There are a few season one episodes   
   referred to in this story, and I'm sure you can figure   
   out which ones, but just in case you can't, I'll list   
   them at the end.:)   
      
   More notes at the end.   
      
   Summary:  Mulder, as seen through someone else's eyes.   
   **********************************************************   
      
   Tabs   
   by Susan   
   ~~~~   
      
   February 26, 1993   
      
      
   I first notice him on a Monday night.   
      
   He's here alone, a small stack of files in his hand and   
   sitting at a table in the back.   
      
   I must admit I find it strange that such a hot looking   
   guy would come in here alone, and then do nothing but   
   work.  Most of the single men that come in here are   
   looking to score with the ladies.   
      
   But not this guy.   
      
   He orders a single beer and then nurses it for over an   
   hour while focusing all his attention on the files he   
   brought in.  He even puts on his glasses and rolls up   
   his shirt sleeves as if he's working in his office.   
      
   The whole thing is just so odd, you know? I mean, what   
   kind of person comes to a bar to do their work?   
      
   And yet there he is, completely oblivious to the music   
   that's playing, the cigarette smoke wafting out from   
   the back pool room, and all the loud conversations   
   going on around him.   
      
   I have no idea how he's able to get anything done, and   
   yet he does, staying here for at least an hour before   
   leaving.   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   March 5, 1993   
      
      
   The next time I see him is a week later.   
      
   I recognize him right away because he's carrying some   
   files again. However, this time he doesn't order a beer,   
   and he doesn't sit at a back table.   
      
   He sits at the bar, which gives me a better opportunity   
   to see him up close and personal.   
      
   Now I've been around the block a few times and then some,   
   but I've never seen eyes like that on a man before.   
      
   Dark and mysterious, yet gentle.  And the passion I see   
   in them...let's just say, whoever's on the receiving end   
   of those hazel beauties is one very lucky woman.   
      
   "What can I get you this afternoon, sir?" I ask, curious   
   to see if he'll order another beer or something else.   
      
   "Coffee, please.  Cream, no sugar, and make it to go,"   
   he replies, his eyes briefly connecting with mine, then   
   scanning the bar.   
      
   "Comin' right up," I say, wondering why he came in here   
   instead of going to the Starbucks a block over.   
      
   In less than two minutes, I have his order ready, and I   
   place it in front of him.   
      
   "Thanks," he says politely, dropping a couple dollars on   
   the counter and scooping up his files. "It smells great,"   
   he adds and then gets up to leave.   
      
   Sniffing the air as I watch him go through the front door,   
   I can't help thinking that *he's* the one who smells great.   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   March 23, 1993   
      
      
   Hmmm....this is interesting.   
      
   He's got a woman with him today.  I wonder who she is.   
   She looks completely different than the type of woman   
   I imagined he'd be interested in.   
      
   She's pretty though.   
      
   Short, petite, red hair, and wearing a very stylish   
   business suit.  I think they might work together, but   
   I'm not sure.   
      
   He leads her to a table in the back, and they both order   
   coffee.  I can't hear what they're saying, but it must   
   be something they don't want anyone else to hear judging   
   by the way they're leaning in towards each other over   
   the table.   
      
   I wonder what they're talking about.   
      
   They end up staying for only twenty minutes, and I can't   
   help noticing the way he gently touches her back as they   
   walk through the door.   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   May 3, 1993   
      
      
   They're here again.   
      
   Since that first afternoon he brought her in here, they've   
   been coming in on a regular basis.  I guess I was right   
   about them working together, but I think there's more   
   between them than just that.   
      
   He likes her.  Judging from her body language I'm pretty   
   sure she likes him too.   
      
   And not just as a coworker.   
      
   "What can I get for you two today?" I ask, pulling a pen   
   and pad out of my apron pocket.   
      
   "Just a cup of coffee for me, cream, no sugar," he replies,   
   not taking his eyes off her.  "And she'll have one too,   
   but with both cream and sugar, please."   
      
   "How do you know that's what I want, Mulder?" she asks,   
   her eyes not leaving his.   
      
   "It's what you always order, Scully," he states.   
      
   "Yes, but maybe today I wanted to have something else,"   
   she retorts, raising her right eyebrow.  Then she tilts   
   her chin up and says, "I'll have an iced tea with lemon,   
   please."   
      
   I write down her order, all the while watching him out of   
   the corner of my eye as he looks at her with both amusement   
   and fascination.   
      
   Oh yeah, they're more than coworkers all right.   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   July 12, 1993   
      
      
   So, his name is Mulder, and hers is Scully.   
      
   No doubt those are their last names, which means they're   
   probably FBI agents.  With the Hoover building just a few   
   blocks away, we get a lot of agents in here, especially   
   after hours.   
      
   I wonder what kind of government work they do. Whatever   
   it is, it sure keeps them busy.  It's been at least a   
   couple of months since they've been in here.   
      
   I hope everything's okay.   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   August 10, 1993   
      
      
   After a rather long hiatus, I'm happy to see him when he   
   finally stops in again, but I'm also concerned because   
   he appears to have been injured. I watch as he gingerly   
   slides into the booth, his hand protectively placed on   
   his abdomen.   
      
   So, that's why he hasn't been in for so long. He must've   
   gotten hurt on the job. He looks okay otherwise, although   
   his hair's longer than before, and he's got a coating of   
   stubble on his face, which he usually doesn't have.   
      
   "Rough day on the job?" I remark as I walk up to his   
   booth and try not to be too intrusive.   
      
   "You have no idea," he answers, slightly wincing as he   
   repositions himself on the seat.  "Could I get a beer,   
   please?"   
      
   "Sure," I answer, pleased with myself for remembering   
   what brand he likes.  "Anything else?"   
      
   "No, that'll be it for now, thanks," he replies, taking   
   his cell phone out of his pocket.   
      
   I take that as my cue to leave, then head to the bar   
   to get his beer. I wonder what happened to him, and I   
   wonder why his partner's not here with him.  Maybe she   
   got hurt even worse than he did.  I hope not.   
      
   A few minutes later when I bring him his drink, I can't   
   help overhearing some of his phone conversation about   
   something called a Jersey devil.   
      
   Is that what hurt him?  Some kind of devil thing?   
      
   Now I'm *really* curious about what he does for the   
   government...   
      
   ~~~~   
      
   August 30, 1993   
      
      
   He sits down in a back booth around 9:00 just as my shift   
   starts, and I can't believe how beaten down he looks.   
      
   A half hour later he's on his third beer, and staring at   
   some photo he took out of his pocket. For some reason I   
   find myself bothered by the fact that his partner Scully   
   isn't here with him, and I can't help wondering if it's   
   a picture of her he's looking at because they're no longer   
   together.   
      
   I actually thought those two had a chance at something   
   special.   
      
   Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)